Canberra Times Reporter

Vandalised Islamic Centre

ACT policing investigate the Canberra Islamic centre in Monash after it was found vandalised on Sunday. Photo: Melissa Adams

A fourth-generation Australian who was instrumental in the establishment of the Canberra Islamic Centre has detailed a history of vandalism that includes the dumping of a dead kangaroo outside the centre's entrance.

Diana Abdel-Rahman, who is the chair of the Canberra Multicultural Community Forum and an original committee member of the Canberra Islamic Centre, said vandalism had been common at the centre since its opening in 1993.

Diana Abdel-Rahman. Photo: Lyn Mills

“People used to come by the centre and throw things through our windows even before we had finished the construction of the building,” she said.

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“In many cases it was just local children but we were still raising funds for construction and had to spend this money fixing the windows.”

Ms Abdel-Rahman said there had been a significant spike in vandalism and threats following the September 11 attacks in 2001. The incidents also became more serious in nature.

“One morning a dead kangaroo was left at the front driveway of the centre,” she said.

“At the time we had a man living at the centre who woke to find the animal – he had to dispose of it himself.

“It was around that time that people started to drag their rubbish bins to the centre and empty their contents outside the entrance.”

Ms Abdel-Rahman said people often had to walk through the rubbish when they entered the centre for evening meals and prayer.

She said the centre’s website had been rendered useless by hackers who had targeted the Islamic centre and that members often received threatening phone calls and letters.

It was around this time the Canberra Islamic Centre played part in a “condolences and healing” event with leaders of various faiths, attended by the United States ambassador Bob Schieffer.

“This was one way that we as a Muslim community could say that we don’t condone what has happened, that we don’t accept it, and that we too are hurting,” she said.

“We wanted to say that we can’t be tarnished with the same brush every time an incident happens overseas.”

Ms Abdel-Rahman said vandalism at the centre became less frequent "once things settled down" in later years.

"The newer residents in the area might not have even realised it was an Islamic centre," she said.

The period of relative quiet was ended on April 4 when a burglary was reported at the Islamic centre. ACT Policing are still investigating the incident and are hoping to speak with people who saw suspicious activity in the area.

Sergeant Jo Cameron, who is in charge of the Tuggeranong Police Station, said “the police and the broader community should be quite disgusted with the people who have committed this crime”.

But Ms Abdel-Rahman said Sunday’s attack on the centre was different to earlier incidents, as this time vandals had managed to get inside.

“I feel this latest attack has been specifically organised because to go inside that building and cause such destruction is criminal – they wanted us to suffer,” she said.

The vandals reportedly cut holes in the centre’s fence on Sunday before ripping several Islamic paintings from the wall and punching holes in others.

Ms Abdel-Rahman said the overwhelming support received by community members this week mirrored the support received following the 9/11 attacks.

“After 9/11 there were a group of local women who called to say they were concerned for women at the centre who may be feeling threatened,” she said.

“The women said they would be happy to walk with the women at local shopping centres if they felt too scared to do so on their own.”

Ms Abdel-Rahman said the books of the National Islam Library, which now lay scattered across the centre floor, were a key focus of the centre from its beginnings.

“The original logo of the Canberra Islamic Centre was an open book,” she said.

“They were books contributed by a couple who spent their entire lives collecting books. They believed books and education were the only way to breakdown racism and intolerance.”

The Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Christopher Prowse has condemned the attack as totally unacceptable.

“Catholics throughout Canberra and beyond send our prayers and sentiments of solidarity to our Islamic friends,” he said. “We must re-double our efforts to ensure that all religions represented in Canberra feel safe and secure to practice their faith without fear."

The Member for Canberra, Gai Brodtmann, described the vandalism of the centre as a "horrific act" and called on Canberrans to help the centre with its clean up in following days.

“Canberra has zero tolerance for this kind of malicious behaviour, and as a community we must now come together to rally behind the centre," she said.

“The vast majority of Canberrans are decent and tolerant – this is our chance to send a message to the perpetrators that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated."

Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture executive director Stephen Pickard said the crimes against the centre were not representative of the wider Canberra community's views.

''I don't think this reflects where this community wants to be and where it is going in the future,'' he said.

The principal of St Mary MacKillop College, which has shared a street corner with the Islamic centre for more than 10 years, described the vandalism as "cowardly" and "senseless".

Michael Lee said it "would be particularly disturbing for all of us were it to be found that this act of vandalism against the Islamic community was based on bigotry, sectarianism and the Islamic faith''.

19 comments so far

Such actions are not a critique of the centre; rather they are an indication of how many tiny minds are out there. The bogans who no doubt are sharing their actions at the moment with their mates are really just showing how badly their parents raised them, and are a sad example to the children they will raise. I hope their friends have the maturity to tell these fools how childish they are.

Commenter

Southernresident

Date and time

April 15, 2014, 3:06PM

If the Salvation Army have to set up video surveillance to stop unsaleable material being dumped on their doorstep, perhaps the Islamic Centre need to do the same. Or hire a security guard as a night presence. They are throwing good money at clean up and repair, why not get a little bit proactive. And yes, an ignorant minority of our community are vicious and destructive, most of us would not carry out such acts. There is a history here and it will continue to occur. So, its time to put your money where your mouth is.

Commenter

Aelfrida

Location

Canberra

Date and time

April 15, 2014, 3:10PM

That pretty much sounds like blaming the victim to me.

Commenter

Jeff

Date and time

April 15, 2014, 6:38PM

Jeff, I did not apportion any blame other than to those who perpetrated the acts. I merely pointed out what common sense tells us. I take precautions to make sure my house is not burgled or defiled; if it is, I claim on insurance, pay the excess, clean up the mess and my loss does not make the front page. This is a commonplace event. It is being made much of for reasons known only to the press. Was it a slow news day?

Commenter

Aelfrida

Location

Canberra

Date and time

April 17, 2014, 4:26PM

lucky, we don't live in America, like as has happened in Kansas with hate crimes

Commenter

tom

Date and time

April 15, 2014, 3:11PM

Lucky We don't live in a islamic country where in the name of islam women can't drive, or vote, or go out the house alone or talk to another man outside the family or they get murdered for it.Or schoolgirls get acid thrown in their face or shot in the head or blown to bits for going to school, or married off to a man and raped at 11 years old, all in the name of islam.Sort of puts into perspective some petty, mindless vandalism in Tuggeranong.

Commenter

Infidel#1

Location

Australia

Date and time

April 15, 2014, 5:46PM

And lucky We don't live in Lebanon.

Commenter

Infidel#1

Location

Australia

Date and time

April 15, 2014, 5:48PM

Brandis, you got what you asked for, tge unfettered freedom to be a bigot and express hate on the basis of religion, ethnicity and gender. The single 'accomplishment' of this rag and bone government.

Commenter

D Murphy

Location

Nedlands

Date and time

April 15, 2014, 3:55PM

This has nothing to do with section 18C. Cheap, disgusting, political whinging.

Commenter

zzREXzz

Date and time

April 21, 2014, 8:27AM

Henry, you've covered the story and made your point so stop sensationalising it by dredging up what has been. Let it go. I see the front glass broken on our little Baptist Church quite often, why aren't they getting the media coverage?